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ants pulling at cotton

Started By Unfrozen , Jun 9 2019 1:25 PM

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#1 Offline Unfrozen - Posted June 9 2019 - 1:25 PM

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my tetramorium colony of about 20 workers have a full test tube protein and sugar but they are still pulling at the cotton what does this mean?


#2 Offline AntPhycho - Posted June 9 2019 - 1:41 PM

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my tetramorium colony of about 20 workers have a full test tube protein and sugar but they are still pulling at the cotton what does this mean?

They most likely need more space. Or the conditions are not right (too moist, too warm, etc.).


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#3 Online ANTdrew - Posted June 9 2019 - 5:32 PM

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A 20 worker Tetramorium colony should definitely be given an outworld. Put their tube in an escape proof container.
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
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#4 Offline SurfingTangents - Posted June 12 2019 - 12:04 PM

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I’m having the same problem with my new 2 Pogonomyrmex Badius queens. What should I do? I caught both last week and put them in test tubes with sand I’m new to raising harvester ants btw.

#5 Offline Somethinghmm - Posted June 12 2019 - 12:09 PM

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It is normal for Pogonomyrmex sp. to dig at cotton. Give her sand and let her be for a few weeks.


#6 Offline AntPhycho - Posted June 12 2019 - 3:14 PM

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I’m having the same problem with my new 2 Pogonomyrmex Badius queens. What should I do? I caught both last week and put them in test tubes with sand I’m new to raising harvester ants btw.

Make sure to give her seeds. I made mini outworlds filled with seeds for my P. californicus founding queens. You could just put some seeds in the test tube though.


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#7 Offline NickAnter - Posted June 12 2019 - 4:27 PM

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Do S. molesta do this a lot too?

Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 

#8 Offline AntPhycho - Posted June 12 2019 - 4:30 PM

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Do S. molesta do this a lot too?

How many workers are they at?


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#9 Offline NickAnter - Posted June 12 2019 - 5:33 PM

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0, twenty queens.


Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 

#10 Offline AntPhycho - Posted June 12 2019 - 5:38 PM

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0, twenty queens.

20 queens in one tube? With fully claustral solenopsis (single queen tubes) single queens could pull at cotton when they are not fertile. Or if you have 20 queens in one tube it could mean they are just too crowded. 


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#11 Offline NickAnter - Posted June 12 2019 - 5:53 PM

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Believe me, they have plenty of room, as they are in a huge test tube. There were five that stayed on the wet side, but they decided to drown themselves.  Probably infertility. Hopefully they fly again, later in summer.  I will make sure to push the cotton down less, so it is harder for them to drown themselves. 


Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 

#12 Offline xLuciferx - Posted June 13 2019 - 7:12 AM

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Where are you located?

#13 Offline NickAnter - Posted June 13 2019 - 6:27 PM

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Why?

Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 

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